January 24, 2019
Oia 847 02, Greece

We are in a thick of winter here now in Toronto. Winter is really here because it's been feeling like -20 degrees and more this past weekend. I can't complain because we've been having a mild winter so far. I don't mind the snow and cold at the moment. As long as you dress properly then you won't be cold. Of course, don't stay outdoors for too long so you don't turn into icicles.

Since, I'm not going on vacation anytime soon. I am reminiscing my trip from Greece. Most especially from Santorini because it was beautiful there.
We took the ferry one way to get to Santorini.

We booked our ferry tickets in advance with Blue Star Ferries and reserved seats on the boat. We woke up very early to get to Piraeus port to pick up our tickets and board the boat.
It was a good idea to reserve seats otherwise you have to find seats outside the deck or inside but it was all full.

Our seats were comfortable and air conditioned. I slept part of the journey since it was about an 8 hour trip. I don't mind the slow way of getting to Santorini. We got to look at some the islands and just traveling by water was relaxing for me. We docked at Paros and Naxos to let people in and out of the boat.

Inside the boat, you can purchase food and drinks inside the boat or you can bring your own.

We stayed in Fira to be close to a lot of attractions. And we found cheaper hotels there than Oia. But you can easily take a day trip to Oia.

The bus to get to Oia can be very crowded and there are no set times for it so you have to be very patient. Otherwise, you can rent a moped/car to get there. Just be careful driving, the roads can sometimes be rough.

Here it is! Oia! It is absolutely breathtaking!

My pictures do not give Oia justice. It's a really romantic and beautiful place. Every nook and cranny is instagramable ;)

It can be very crowded at times especially when you get the cruise/tour bus crowd but you will find pockets of peace and quiet if you walk outside the main area.

Blue and white combo is the best!

It's fun to get "lost" in Oia. You never know what you will find in each corner.

Seeing bushes of bougainvillea in front of the buildings and houses made me so happy.

We took a break from the heat in this little corner of paradise. A very cute cafe where we enjoyed drinks while overlooking the view of the ocean.

January 2, 2019
Athens, Greece

Happy New Year! Is it really 2019 already?!? Last year went by quickly for me. A lot of major life changes happened like getting married!! It's been a hectic time for me so this blog took a back seat. I have a lot of back log of post from Greece, Philippines, and Japan.

Travel has been limited for me last year. It will always be my passion but it will be lesser priority for now.

Greece feels like a million years away. I'm trying to recall my memories from this trip. I just remember it being really hot. I had to drink a lot of water to keep hydrated when I was outside sightseeing.

I went to Hadrian's Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus late afternoon to avoid the sun. This was before sunset. It was not crowded and I had a lot of time to walk around.
Compared to The Acropolis which was very crowded. I enjoyed this more because I could absorb the site and take pictures without bumping into anyone.
I am amazed on how preserved the columns are after all these years. And I hope it continues this way.

I am hoping to keep the blog going and post a little bit more since I didn't do it for a couple of months.

I want to know your travel plans for this year! And what exciting things/experiences are you looking forward to?

August 3, 2018
Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan

Our friend Keiko took us to Furarizushi Fushimi for lunch in Nagoya. It was a 10 minute walk from our hotel in Sakae area.

She made reservations which is a really good idea because the restaurant fills up quickly especially on a Sunday.

We were seated on the second floor with our own little booth.

The opposite wall of our booth. Would love one of these big bottles of sake.

Trying to figure out what meal set to order. We had plenty to choose from and most set was under ¥1,500. If you don't want the set meals, you can also order individual items - some bowls cost less than ¥700.

This is what I ordered. Had to get the sushi set with tempura. It also came with miso soup, a small box of rice with tuna sashimi on top, a little dessert, and custard with crab (which I happily shared). I shared my meal so I didn't eat this massive portion alone.

I still dream of this sushi platter. It was sooo sooo good. And I love having variety.

A's meal. He got a smaller set so he can eat my food ;) Love a good chirashi bowl.

Keiko and me reunited in Nagoya!

And this is her set. She also got unagi.

The food here was delicious and the price was great too! Highly recommend this place if you are staying in Nagoya.